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Suspension to Buffalo Sabres’ Zenon Konopka Just Another Blemish to an Already Brutalized Season

The organization had the worst on-ice product in the NHL, yet they still managed to lose a draft lottery that they had the highest chance of winning, all the while they were forced to trade away most of the talent that they did have on their roster. Unfortunately for the Sabres, the string of terrible events has poured into the offseason.

Zenon Konopka has been suspended for 20 games for testing positive for a substance that is on the NHL's list of performance enhancing drugs. While this type of thing is common in sports like football and baseball, it is a rare occasion to have a hockey player suspended for performance enhancing drug use. And though Konopka claims his use of the substance was through an over-the-counter product, and that he wasn't aware that the banned substance was contained in the product, the Sabres as an organization will take yet another hit in the eyes of fans and the media.

Konopka's contract will end on July 1, and it is not clear if he will re-sign with the Sabres. However, given his suspension and lack of skill, he's likely going to be looking for work elsewhere in the league. Still, the Sabres had him under contract and on the ice as a representative of their organization while he was consuming the banned substance. If it were possible for things to get worse for the Sabres, this situation may have done just that.